With so much good music coming through thick and fast, it’s easy for brand-new music to drop online and go overlooked. To help prevent this, we’ve picked five releases that may have slipped under your radar. Stream music from Planet Battagon, KOKOKO!, Liberez, Heather Leigh and FR333. If you like what you hear, support the artists.
Planet Batagon – Battagon Symphony (Rough Guide to Neptunia pt. 1)
Planet Battagon continues to cast their magical extraterrestrial spell on us with their latest EP. Space jazz for lovers of leftfield music. The dance diverse never sounded so odd and good. If Richard Branson ever flies to Planet Battagon I’ll be first in the queue. All we can say is hit the play button, and wig out to their genre-blurring soundscapes.
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KOKOKO! – Liboso
KOKOKO! share their first EP for British independent record label Transgressive. Called Liboso – meaning ‘forward, straight ahead’ – the EP features new tracks showcasing more of their intense sonic universe, featuring three unheard tracks ‘Blvd Lumumba’, ‘Affaire A Mbongo’ and ‘Longola Ye Kupe’. Looking forward to their debut album, but for now, this blazing EP will keep the flame alight quite brightly!
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Liberez – Way Through Vulnerability
Southend-on-Sea experimental outfit Liberez deliver the end result of a year and a half long recording process, an amorphous new line up and advanced studies in sound collage. Standouts include the dark and moody ‘Here is the Proof’ and the thunderous soundscapes of ‘Derelict Intentions’. ‘Cara En La Foto Pt II’ is a thumping neo-classical tinged tune and the eerily suspicious title track. Give it a spin and listen loud.
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Heather Leigh – Throne
Absolutely incredible 6 track album from pedal steel guitarist and singer Heather Leigh. It’s both a gorgeous listen and an uncomfortable one, that is smothered in thick layers of bass but lifted by multitracked vocals. Don’t think twice on this one, just listen and prepare to be amazed. Fans of Sarah Davachi, Puce Mary and Eiko Ishibashi will enjoy.
FR333 – TH3 BODY
Much like their debut EP, Oakland duo FR333 drop some synth-heavy, atmospheric instrumentals and sultry wordplay, but this time they address some tough content from, how black women’s bodies carry trauma to race, abuse, and resilience. A brief but a totally satisfying offering. Listen and support.
